Your Car Is One Of Your Largest Investments
We here at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills, OH, truly believe that preventative maintenance is the answer to keeping your car running like the day you drove it off the lot. Whether it is time for a milestone service (30, 60, 90k miles) or a simple oil change, the ASE Certified technicians at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair are here to help.
Preventative Auto Maintenance
Most people don’t think much about their cars’ health until something goes wrong. What they might not realize is they can avoid those problems easily with regular preventative maintenance. The bottom line is that preventative maintenance is key to keeping you safe on the roads and keeping your car running the way it should. A lot might think the oil change is the be-all, end-all of preventative maintenance, but there is much more to your car’s health than just the engine oil.
Fluids
Smart drivers tend to keep tabs on all their automotive fluids, whether they are checking the fluids themselves or having a professional do it for you. Your oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and coolant (anti-freeze) should all be checked regularly, and if low, topped off. Your wiper fluid, though not essential, should be checked as well. The most important of these fluids is the engine oil. An engine without oil, or with dirty, contaminated oil, can cause itself severe damage simply by running. Similarly, your coolant levels should be kept in the right place as well, as low levels can cause overheating. You should be flushing and replacing your coolant about once every two years.
Wheels
Though nearly no one does it, it is important to stay on top of your tire pressure, checking it about once a week. A simple tire gauge, inserted into the tire valve stem, can give you an instantaneous reading on your tire pressure. You can find the correct tire pressure on the inside of your driver’s door. Underinflated tires can cause bad gas mileage, tire damage, and even tire blowouts, something you never want to have happen. You should also be checking your tire tread for wear. You can do this yourself, too. Grab a penny and place it between the treads. If you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head, you need new tires as your treads are worn past the point of safety.
On top of that, it is important to have your brake pads or shoes (depending on your braking system) inspected regularly. Brake pads or shoes can last for anywhere between 20,000 and 60,000 miles, and will often let you know there is significant wear by grinding or squealing when you brake. While these signs are present for a reason, you should get your brake pads or shoes inspected regularly to make sure things don’t go too far before you repair or replace those pads or shoes.
Air Filter and Battery
The last two things we will discuss are the air filter and battery. Though batteries usually last up to and beyond five years, you should have yours inspected every three, just to be safe. You can look for yourself and see if there is any corrosion around the battery cables and cords. If there is, you’ll want to get your battery inspected right away. And if you aren’t sure you need a new battery, we can help you figure it out.
Your car’s air filter is what keeps the air flowing through your car’s engine clean. The filter will get filthy over time, so you’ll want to make sure it is replaced at regular intervals. A dirty air filter can also affect your gas mileage, driving your fuel economy into the dirt.
At Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills, OH, we understand that your car is made up of hundreds of parts, and you haven’t a prayer of fully understanding them all. That’s what we are here for. We can help set up a preventative maintenance schedule that is easy on your schedule and wallet. Call and make an appointment today!